Name and Location
Bridge City rail link project, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Client
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

Project Description
The project involved the construction of a new 3.5 km dual rail link, including the construction of three viaducts, three aqueducts and one road crossing.

The Bridge City rail link is part of the Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network, which includes the various taxi ranks and the bus rapid transit system.  It connects the mixed-land use Bridge City development that includes the magistrates court, the soon to be built provincial hospital and The Bridge City Shopping Centre with communities of Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and Phoenix.

The Bridge City line ties in with the existing multi-use rail line at Duffs Road station, along with the new train turnaround facilities at Dalbridge, south of Durban.  The ties will ensure operational integration with the north–south rail corridor, which is part of the overall infrastructure modernisation programme in preparation for new rolling stock.

The line is designed to allow for three-minute headways, but will initially run trains at about 20-minute headways and gradually increase in frequency.  The rail link will be able to run a 12-coach train, with an estimated 1 800 passengers a day. 

Value
R1.3-billion.

Duration
The Bridge City rail link was originally proposed in 2001. The station started operating on February 3, 2014.

Latest Developments
The state-of-the-art bridge station started operating this month.

The Bridge City line ties in with the existing multi-use rail line at Diffs road station along with the new train turnaround facilities at Dalbridge, south of Durban. The ties will ensure operational integration with the north–south rail corridor, which is part of the overall infrastructure moderinisation programme in preparation for new rolling stock.

The line is designed to allow for three-minute headways, but will initially run trains at about 20 minute headways and grually increase in frequency. The rail link will be able to run a 12-coach train, with about 1 800 a day.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Crowie Projects, LDM Quantity Surveyors, Focus Project Managers and Arcus Gibb Consulting Engineers (infrastructure design); Grinaker-LTA (construction and civil works); Tshireletso Business Engineering (electrical works); Actom (signalling); and SIMS Perway (rail infrastructure).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
PRASA group head of communication Nana Zenani, tel +27 12 748 7000 or
email nzenani@prasa.com.
Crowie Projects, tel +27 31 312 2091 or fax+27 31 312 5663.
LDM Quantity Surveyors, tel +27 31 207 1340, fax +27 31 209 9441 or email dbn@LDM.co.za.
Focus Project Managers, tel +27 31 312 2093, fax +27 31 312 5663 or email admin@focuspm.co.za.
Arcus Gibb Consulting Engineers, tel +27 31 267 8560 or fax +27 31 266 3310.
Grinaker-LTA, tel +27 11 578 6000, fax +27 11 578 6161 or email enquiry@grinaker-lta.co.za.
Tshireletso Business Engineering, tel +2711493 9861, fax +27114991760 or email admin@tbusiness.co.za.
Actom, tel +27 11 820 5111 or fax +27 11 820 5100.
SIMS Perway, tel +27 12 665 4446, fax +27 12 665 4337 or email info@sims-sa.co.za.